Black Belt

Taylor Marie Jones, an eighth-grader and honor student at Western Heights Middle School, earned her black belt at Jung Sim Do Korean Karate School, taught by Master Jack Holman. Taylor has been in karate since she was 9 years old. She is the daughter of Becky and Brian Sottile and Bryan and Tanya Jones.

Cobra Karate School LLC conducted a black belt test on Nov. 4. Master Paul Wood traveled from Pittsburgh to lead the test and several local black belts attended to assist. Promoted to first-degree black belt from the Hagerstown Cobra School were Alex Jentcsch, Scott Parks and Lynette Pryor. Thao Corcoran and Phong Corcoran were promoted to junior black belt. Chris Pabon from the Waynesboro Cobra School was promoted to second-degree black belt. Hagerstown Cobra Karate teaches martial arts skills, self-defense and discipline to adults and children in a relaxed setting.

HAGERSTOWN -- Black belt Jimmy Smith said he wants his young students to learn the importance of community service. Since Smith opened Mr. Jimmy's White Tiger Martial Arts in Hagerstown last August, the students in his after-school program have been doing everything from collecting food for the needy to raising money for breast cancer awareness programs. The after-school program, which is held in the late afternoon and made up of school-age children, adopted two families for Christmas earlier this month.

Craig Wilt was looking for a way to get exercise to reduce his cholesterol level. He wanted something that was fun, so he’d stick with it and not get bored. “I had always wanted to get into karate, but I thought I was too old,” said Wilt, 63. His stepson, Sean Rohrer, had started taking Tae Kwon Do, a form of martial arts, and eventually, with encouragement from Sean’s instructor, “Mr. Jimmy” Smith, Wilt decided to give it a try. That was in 2005. On Feb. 12, 2011, Wilt earned his first-degree black belt, an accomplishment he never thought was possible because of his age and lack of flexibility.

Black belt James C. Smith II gets a kick out of community service. Since he opened Mr. Jimmy’s White Tiger Martial Arts in Hagerstown a little more than a year ago, Smith has raised thousands of dollars, and provided several truckloads of food and clothing for charitable causes. For his philanthropy, Smith received an award from the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame during a Nov. 6 ceremony in Florida. “The award is in my name, but I couldn’t have done it without my students and the community,” Smith said.

HAGERSTOWN -- Jonathan Burrs is one belt away from earning his black belt in karate at Allstar Karate and Kickboxing. What started as a way to spend time with two of his sons has turned into a plan to give back to the community. Once Burrs, 37, earns his black belt and certification to teach karate, he hopes to begin a program for at-risk children in the community whose parents might not be able to afford karate lessons. "I wanted to make sure to spend time with my boys," Burrs said.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Those who knew tae kwon do grandmaster Charles "Bill" Quenzel said when he walked down the streets of Martinsburg, everyone turned to look at the man with bright white hair strolling in a three-piece suit. "He was the sharpest dressed man in town," said his son, Dave Quenzel. "He always wore a suit or his uniform. " Charles Quenzel, who died Feb. 20 at the age of 86, took great pride in his appearance. His karate students said until he fell ill in December, not a hair was ever out of place on his snow-white head.

Pat Hunt and Michael “Mike” Robinson have been doing martial arts for about 40 years and a recent trip to Japan provided the opportunity to present each of them with a plaque commemorating their lifetime dedication. They were two of four people to receive the award, out of the 300-member international team, Robinson said. Hunt and Robinson were in Kyoto, Japan, from April 25 to May 1 as part of a 15-member U.S. team that competed in Iaido, or Japanese swordsmanship, with other teams competing in a variety of forms of martial arts.

marlob@herald-mail.com Now 45, Marty Weedon wasn't planning to enter this year's International Law Enforcement Games in Canada. But he did - to honor a friend and former student who died a year ago. Perhaps it was that strength of spirit, as well as body, that led Weedon to win two gold medals this year - one in black belt heavyweight open sparring and the second in black belt open karate kata. Sparring involves two people performing certain moves in a fight-like scenario.

The body found last week near Pen Mar has been identified as an area man last seen by his family more than 20 years ago, the Maryland State Police announced Thursday. According to police, an identification card belonging to Charles Calvin Lessner, who had lived in Cascade, Frederick, Md., and Thurmont, Md., was found among the remains discovered July 7 by two hikers. An archaeologist was taken to the scene at Grey Rock Road near the Appalachian Trail. The bones were removed and taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, police said.

Pat Hunt and Michael “Mike” Robinson have been doing martial arts for about 40 years and a recent trip to Japan provided the opportunity to present each of them with a plaque commemorating their lifetime dedication. They were two of four people to receive the award, out of the 300-member international team, Robinson said. Hunt and Robinson were in Kyoto, Japan, from April 25 to May 1 as part of a 15-member U.S. team that competed in Iaido, or Japanese swordsmanship, with other teams competing in a variety of forms of martial arts.

Craig Wilt was looking for a way to get exercise to reduce his cholesterol level. He wanted something that was fun, so he’d stick with it and not get bored. “I had always wanted to get into karate, but I thought I was too old,” said Wilt, 63. His stepson, Sean Rohrer, had started taking Tae Kwon Do, a form of martial arts, and eventually, with encouragement from Sean’s instructor, “Mr. Jimmy” Smith, Wilt decided to give it a try. That was in 2005. On Feb. 12, 2011, Wilt earned his first-degree black belt, an accomplishment he never thought was possible because of his age and lack of flexibility.

Black belt James C. Smith II gets a kick out of community service. Since he opened Mr. Jimmy’s White Tiger Martial Arts in Hagerstown a little more than a year ago, Smith has raised thousands of dollars, and provided several truckloads of food and clothing for charitable causes. For his philanthropy, Smith received an award from the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame during a Nov. 6 ceremony in Florida. “The award is in my name, but I couldn’t have done it without my students and the community,” Smith said.

Taylor Marie Jones, an eighth-grader and honor student at Western Heights Middle School, earned her black belt at Jung Sim Do Korean Karate School, taught by Master Jack Holman. Taylor has been in karate since she was 9 years old. She is the daughter of Becky and Brian Sottile and Bryan and Tanya Jones.

Two Fairplay youths have earned their black belts in karate. Victoria Wiseley, 14, and Garrett Wiseley, 10, recently tested and earned their black belts in Korean Karate at Jung Sim Do Korean Karate, taught by Master Jack Holman. Victoria has been in karate since she was 10 years old. Garrett has been in karate since he was 4 years old.

HAGERSTOWN -- Black belt Jimmy Smith said he wants his young students to learn the importance of community service. Since Smith opened Mr. Jimmy's White Tiger Martial Arts in Hagerstown last August, the students in his after-school program have been doing everything from collecting food for the needy to raising money for breast cancer awareness programs. The after-school program, which is held in the late afternoon and made up of school-age children, adopted two families for Christmas earlier this month.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Those who knew tae kwon do grandmaster Charles "Bill" Quenzel said when he walked down the streets of Martinsburg, everyone turned to look at the man with bright white hair strolling in a three-piece suit. "He was the sharpest dressed man in town," said his son, Dave Quenzel. "He always wore a suit or his uniform. " Charles Quenzel, who died Feb. 20 at the age of 86, took great pride in his appearance. His karate students said until he fell ill in December, not a hair was ever out of place on his snow-white head.

HAGERSTOWN -- Jonathan Burrs is one belt away from earning his black belt in karate at Allstar Karate and Kickboxing. What started as a way to spend time with two of his sons has turned into a plan to give back to the community. Once Burrs, 37, earns his black belt and certification to teach karate, he hopes to begin a program for at-risk children in the community whose parents might not be able to afford karate lessons. "I wanted to make sure to spend time with my boys," Burrs said.

The Herald-Mail asked high school seniors who agreed to participate in our monthly Senior Moments series the following question: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Jessey Flowers, 17 Clear Spring High School When asked what he'll be doing in 10 years, Jessey jokingly said, "Living on a beach with a lot of nice-looking women. " However, he said it's more likely that he'll have a good job, be making a good salary and hopefully be married. "I have no idea what kind of job," he said.